Kingston has announced its first DDR3 triple channel enthusiast RAM kits for …

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Kingston has announced its first DDR3 RAM kits for the coming Intel X58/Core i7 combination, introducing both enthusiast and value kits for users with different needs.

We've talked before about the significantly lower maximum RAM voltage that can be used on Intel X58 mainboards running Intel Core i7 CPUs. The maximum for this combination is 1.65V, whereas existing Intel chipsets and CPUs will tolerate significantly higher voltage.

The top-of-the line kit introduced by Kingston is the 3GB 2000MHz DDR3 HyperX triple channel kit with latencies of CL9-9-9-27 at 1.65V. The price for the kit is a whopping $334. Consider that the Kingston HyperX DDR3 2GB dual channel kit sporting the same latencies costs only $149 online right now, and you see the massive price premium for the 1.65V triple channel kit. Incidentally, the voltage on the dual channel kit is 2.0V.

We can assume that Kingston is having to bin ICs for both low power needs and performance on these HyperX triple channel kits, which drives the price up. OCZ has previously told me that it is having to bin for low voltage ICs for its own X58/Core i7 memory kits.

Kingston isn't only shooting for the high-end market with triple channel RAM kits for the new platform. The RAM maker will also be producing a slew of other kits in triple channel flavors with different speeds, latencies and capacities selling for as low as $132 for a value kit with 3GB or 1066MHz CL7-7-7 RAM running at 1.5V. A 6GB kit of the same RAM goes for $240.